1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of telephonic audio message systems, and particularly to an interactive telephonic message delivery method and apparatus for providing the intended recipient of a voice audio message with options as to when he or she will hear the message.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, there exist a number of interactive voice message systems which enable a caller utilizing a touch-tone telephone to store a telephonic audio message and to direct this message to a particular recipient at a specified phone number, date, and time. More specifically, in these interactive voice message systems, a call record is originally created by a caller who dials into the system and records an audio message. In addition, some prior art interactive voice message systems allow a caller to incorporate his or her personal message into a pre-recorded message, which the caller selects from a particular message list.
The caller then conveys (1) the name of the intended recipient of the message (e.g., chooses the recipient's name from a spoken list of pre-defined names), (2) the phone number of the intended recipient, and (3) the date and time for the system to call the recipient and to deliver the message. The interactive voice message system then stores the telephonic voice message and links this message to an administrative call record which is stored in a message delivery database in the system. One example of a prior art method for creating and composing voice messages is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,487 issued to Bergsman et al.
By examining the administrative call record, prior art interactive voice message systems contact the intended recipient of the message by dialing the stored telephone number at the appointed date and time, in order to deliver the message. Unfortunately, these prior art interactive audio message systems do not provide the recipient of the voice mail with options as to when he or she wish to hear his or her message. Consequently, these prior art telephonic audio message storage and delivery systems force the recipient of the message to receive the message at a predetermined time and place, irrespective of the recipient's desires or needs. Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for an interactive telephonic message delivery method and apparatus for providing an intended recipient of a voice message with options as to when he or she will hear the message.